Djaq's Journey
by kcphantom
Summary: Djaq finds that one of her fellow woodsmen,Will has been taken captive by the sherif of Nottingham. But was his captivity the result of someone else's jelousy? Someone close? Djaq strives to free her friend as she learns something about herself.
1. Dreaming

1

She kneeled quietly, meditating in the warm desert air. Hot wind pulled at her long unbound hair as she sat praying to Allah. The long moments of her prayer passed slowly and she reveled in the quiet, the stillness. An overwhelming sense of peace consumed her as the morning held her.

From behind her she heard footsteps. They were stealthy and tentative, apparently attempting not to disturb her. She smiled to herself as the familiar tread drew nearer. She turned, disturbed from prayer, to face her brother. False anger splayed across her face. The face which mirrored her own expressed a distinctly opposite expression, obviously intended to make her laugh.

A glance at the humorous expression on his face quickly changed her false anger to giggles. He was a handsome, man, her twin. The same height as she, he wore his hair short, cut close to his head, a great contrast to her long mane of ebony locks. They had the same tanned skin and similar features. The only difference apart from their gender was their hair, for they were as similar in personality as in looks.

As she looked at him his features contorted. His healthy, fit body thinned, void of muscle, bones visible beneath taught skin. His handsome face twisted, becoming pale and gaunt. A thin hand, resembling a dried piece of desert grass reached toward her. "_Sister…_" The raspy voice hurt her ears.

"NO!"

Daqe woke with a start on the leafy ground of her new home in Sherwood Forest. It was night still, the darkness enveloping the small camp in which she was nestled.

"Daqe, is everything all right?" Will's concerned voice was right next to her, whispering in her ear.

"All is well", her voice was quiet and unconvincing, but Will didn't question her again. When his breathing slowed and became a rhythmic pattern Daqe breathed deeply the night air. She stood slowly, taking great care not to awaken the sleeping forms around her, and walked a few yards away from the camp.

She sat to contemplate her nightmare; she believed dreams were messages from Allah which were meant to be understood. As much as it disturbed her, the images of her dream she new well. Her twin, the real Daqe was once as he had first appeared to in the dream, young and handsome. The second rendering she knew as well, it was her brother when he returned home from the war with the English.

Daqe had left home on their sixteenth birthday to join their country men in the fight for their homeland. He had been wounded in battle. Then as he began to heal, took ill with one of the numerous diseases brought to the Holy Land by the Crusaders. It was the disease which brought him home to her.

The homecoming had not been what she imagined it would be. Her brother, her twin, who she loved dearly returned home very ill. Two days after his return he passed to the other world, with her at his bedside. Whatever disease had befallen him soon infected the entire family; their mother, father, younger sister and brother. She had been the only to survive.

Daqe sighed deeply, as she recalled her brothers death. She ran her hand over her short fuzzy hair. Had her brother stood beside her now they would be completely indistinguishable. She smiled as she thought of what her brother would say of her hair. He would make light of it and assure her that it would grow back, and be just as beautiful as it once was.

But he would be wrong. Daqe's smile hardened into a grim expression. She had made a vow at her brother's bedside, as he lay dying, to live as a man, to live the full life he, her beloved brother, lost. "I shall be Daqe, the man, until my death", she reminded herself.

Only the wind heard her words, and it whispered a soft, mournful reply. Daqe strained to understand, as the world began to grow hazy around her. She drifted off to asleep, lulled by the softly swaying trees of Sherwood.


	2. A New Day

2

The morning sun, shining through the trees woke Daqe. She opened her eyes slowly, allowing her body time to rouse itself. Looking around Daqe's eyes came to rest upon Will Scarlet, who had been so concerned about her the previous night.

She was not surprised to find that he was awake as well, all the woodsmen rose early. But he was not only awake, he was blatantly staring in her direction. She nodded in acknowledgement of him and quickly got up, walking farther from the camp.

Will had watched her cautiously, as though she might break, from the day he had discovered she was a woman, even though she had proven, many times that she could care for herself. Daqe remembered that day well. Robin and the other woodsmen had saved her and others of her homeland from becoming slaves in an English mine, then destroyed the mine which belonged to the Sheriff of Nottingham. In the short time between their rescue and the destruction of the mine Daqe and the other men had been given time to bathe and pray. While Daqe was cleansing herself Will had stumbled upon her and discovered her secret.

Daqe sighed as she thought back on that day. It had been the last day she held her secret, as well as the last she had seen of the men of her homeland. She was now entirely alone in a foreign country. Sitting by a stream that ran through Sherwood she contemplated her lost companions and wondered what had become of them, praying to Allah they had all returned home safely.

Her thoughts soon turned to the men who were now her company, They were an interesting lot. A smile rose to her lips as she contemplated how such different men had been drawn together for a common purpose.

Robin of Locksley, given the name Robin Hood by the people he served, was a small man. One would not believe that he led a band of skillfully trained woodsmen. With dark hair, large sad eyes and his thin frame Robin was not easily recognized as the leader of their band of outlaws. He had been a crusader in the Holy Land, one of the men who had fought her people. She had once thought all these men murdering thieves. But Robin was everything but, she saw this the moment she came into his company. He lived to serve the people, who were his weakness. His other weakness was the woman he loved, Marion, she was a soft spot, someone Robin would give his life for. That was not saying much as he would give his life for each man in his band, Daqe included, and they would all do the same for him, and each other.

Much was Robin's faithful servant and friend. He had fallowed Robin to the crusades and back. No matter what Robin said or did there was no way for him to rid himself of Much. Much was short, a bit stocky, with sandy hair which matched his trimmed beard. The man was the band's cook and the but of all their jokes. Much bore everything for Robin, to be helpful to his master and best friend.

John Little, or Little John as he was called by his friends, was Robin's opposite in every way. John was a hulking man who could cause even the most fearless Englishman to quake in his boots. Although he was huge in size John's heart was equally as big. He looked a bit like a bear with his dark shaggy hair and beard, as well as the dark layers of furs he wore. John had deep set eyes that often contained a far off look, as though he was longing for his past life; longing for his life before faking his own death and forever losing his wife Alice and son John. Though his family was alive and well Little John could never be with them, and this thought often caused him great distress. He would retreat into his mink to hide from the world. But he was a good fighter and friend.

Alan a Dale was a man different from the others. As Daqe contemplated him she realized that she knew little about him, his past, his family and home. She knew he had come to join Robin through some misunderstanding. She was aware of his background as a thief, a common highway robber, but Robin had changed him. He was not the man he once was. Daqe looked at Allan as her greatest friend in the band of outlaws. He had been kind to her from the start (as all the men were). But recently some of Alan's past had caught up with him in the form of his younger brother Tom. Tom joined the group, but in an attempt to prove his loyalty to Robin Hood, was captured by the Sheriff's men and executed. The death of Allan's brother only served to draw Daqe closer to him; understanding how he felt, losing a brother, he was easy to talk to.

The last of the band was Will Scarlet. Will was the youngest of the men, probably about her own age, twenty years. Despite his youth Will held his own among the men, as did she. He was tall and lanky, and reminded her a bit of a willow tree. He had dark hair, green eyes, and a pitiful excuse of a mustache which only served to make him look silly, although she suspected his hope was to appear older. His life had been fairly normal, to her knowledge, in comparison to the other men. His father and younger brother Luke had lived in Locksley with him until Robin's return from the Holy Land. He and Luke were imprisoned by the Sheriff for stealing, and saved by Robin. Will had joined Robin and Luke and his father hid in Scarsdale with their aunt. When Will's family returned two month's ago to claim him his father had been killed by the Sheriff. She didn't know what had happened to his mother. Will was not a man to reveal his feelings and Daqe couldn't understand him. He had not cried when his father had died as Allan had when his brother was hung. The other men she could understand and relate to, but Will was secretive, enclosed, and his eyes…. His eyes unnerved her. When he looked at her there was such and expression in those hazel eyes that she just couldn't comprehend. Daqe didn't know how, but she assured herself she would one day understand him.

Daqe realized that she has come to a halt, and was sitting beside a river which ran through the forest. Sitting there on the bank Daqe looked down at her reflection in the water. She was nothing of the woman she had once been. She ran her hand over her shorn hair. Her hair was the constant reminder of who she once was. Her hair, she felt, was what had made her a woman, it was also her brother's joy. He had said her hair was beautiful, like raven's feathers. Her brother….

"STOP THAT!"

Much's whinny voice echoed through the trees, drawing Daqe from her quiet reverie.

"REALLY, STOP!"

Daqe laughed aloud at the second pitchy command. 'Much just can't do anything; he would be lost without Robin' thought Daqe as she started back towards the camp.

She arrived back in time to see Much snatch his wine pouch from Allan, who stood to one side, with John standing on the other. Daqe gave Allan a stern look, but could barely contain a smile as Allan reached out and snatched the pouch back from it's owner.

"Just have'n a bit a fun," laughed Allan as he threw the pouch to John.

John gave a hearty laugh as he easily caught the pouch. Much looked hopelessly, knowingly, from Allan to John. John was swinging the leather bag by it's strap, while still laughing.

"Come on John," begged Much "give it back". He knew as well as Daqe that John and Allan were enjoying themselves too much to stop now.

"You'll have to come an' get it," replied John with a smile as he lifted the pouch to his lips and took a hearty swig of the strong drink.

This was too much for Much, and he lunged at John, who immediately tossed the bag back to Allan. Allan was by this time in hysterics, and Daqe couldn't help but laugh as Much walked sulkily back to the fire.

"Very well" he called over his shoulder, "have your fun, only give me back my wine bag when you are through."

Daqe almost felt bad for Much as he sat down by the morning fire but couldn't control the peals of laughter when he fell backwards over his seat.

"I'm all right," called Much, attempting to right himself, while retaining some shred of dignity.

John braced himself against a tree attempting to control his laughter while Alan rolled uncontrollably on the forest floor in hysterics. Daqe couldn't help but laugh along with her friends as they shared in the merriment of Much's foolery. It was good, this new life Daqe had found here in the forest, and at the moment, doubled over in laughter, she allowed herself to forget her past and simply basked in the present.


	3. Breakfast

3

All the men were sitting around the fire when Robin walked out of the forest. He approached the camp with his bow over his shoulder, carrying two rabbit's by the ears. "Breakfast is served."

Muck sprang up from his seat by the fire to take the hare's from Robin's hand. He made quick work of skinning and gutting them before skewering them and laying them across the fire. The whole task took five minutes to complete, and Robin stood smiling at his eager friend while he prepared their meal.

Once the meat was over the fire Robin took a seat by the fire. Allan and John had composed themselves by this time and were in a heated debate over the easiest way to skin a trout. Daqe was sitting quietly, meditating. And Will was working with a piece of wood, creating who knows what.

Robin smiled faintly at his gang composed thus. He knew they were bored, it was as obvious as rain in the spring. The group had not had anything to do the past two weeks, and the lack of action was beginning to weigh on all of them. "Oy!" called Robin, " I been thinking that things have been a bit bor'in round ere. I should think it would be rather fun to venture into Nottingham and see what mischief we can cook up for the sheriff. What do you say?"

Allan, John and Much answered with a hearty "Hurrah!" They were as bored as Robin had expected, and longed for some excitement. Daqe looked up from her meditation and nodded with silent approval. Will was the only one who seemed against the idea.

Robin immediately noticed Will's lack of enthusiasm, stood and strode to where he sat not two yards away. "You don't want to join in this Will?" Robin asked.

"Well, it's…. it's just…you know I…. I…." Will's voice was soft. His word's, though broken, caught the attention of the rest of the gang, holding their own excitement at bay. "Robin ya see….I haven't seen me brother since our dad…."

"I know Will."

"Well I kind of need to see Luke, to be near him, ya know, to know he is all right."

Robin stared at Will's tormented face. Normally he hid his emotion well, but Robin had known him all his life, and knew that his father's death, coupled with the distance of his brother was torturing Will. As he looked at Will's pleading eyes, Daqe came to stand behind Will, and placed a gentle hand upon his shoulder. Will seemed to tense, but his eyes never left Robin. "Please, Robin… I have to see him."

"Go, go to Scarsdale. See Luke and give him our best," saying this Robin gave will a hearty shove on his shoulder. Will's face immediately broke into a huge grin. Robin looked to the rest of the gang, "the rest of us will go to Nottingham."

Daqe's eyes were set on Will as he turned to look at her. He gave her a smile and a nod, his eyes fixed on hers.

But Will's were not the only pair of eyes trained on Daqe. Across the fire Allan's gaze smoldered as he saw Daqe hold Will's gaze. He knew Will cared for her almost as much as he. Allan had tried to make himself appealing to Daqe, knowing that he and Will were secretly vying for her affection. But the look she just gave Will proved that he hadn't recommended himself well enough. His blood boiled in his veins. He knew Daqe was unaware of both his and Will's affection for her, but he had to find some way to get Will out of the way so his affections could be known, and possibly returned. Will didn't deserve her, didn't understand her as Allan did, and he would make sure Daqe would never be Will's.


End file.
